FLOYD COUNTY, Va. – People in Floyd County are coming together in a special way to help feed community members in need. It's all part of the Floyd Country Store's "pay it forward" program, which just surpassed a major milestone.
The Floyd Country Store is a staple in Southwest Virginia, but it is serving up more than just good meals.
Co-owner Heather Krantz said, "It was important to us that as part of the Floyd County Store, we are serving all of our community and the folks that maybe can't even afford to be here."
Two years ago, Krantz and her husband decided to start a pay it forward program. Customers can purchase a ticket for $5, then someone in need can redeem it for a meal. They can choose from eight healthy meals, Krantz said.
Jonathan Vandergrift, executive director of the local food bank Plenty, said food insecurity is a huge problem in the county.
"This year alone, since January, 450 families came to us needing assistance, needing food," Vandergrift said.
He said while the food bank gives people the basics, the pay it forward program helps in a different way.
"Being able as a young parent to take your kids out and have a meal and not feel just for a moment hungry, poor, but to really treat your family, your kids to something like this is...you're feeding something else there. There's another hunger that you're taking care of."
The Floyd Country Store just reached a big milestone: more than 500 pay it forwards sold.
"People that don't even live here have been buying pay it forward tickets for us to keep here at this store for this community to be able to use and I just think that's really remarkable," Vandergrift said.
They have no plans to stop anytime soon.